Dispenser



July 10, 1934. T JAMESON 1,965,741

DISPENSER Filed July 14, 1952 I 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 'T. JAMESON July 10, 1934.

DISPENSER Filed July 14, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented July 10, 1934 PATENT OFFICE DISPENSER Thomas Jameson, Newark, N. J., assigner to The Gilchrist Company, a New Jersey corporation Application July 14, 1932, Serial No. 622,388

16 Claims.

This invention relates to dispensers and particularly to a device adapted to dispense measured quantities of powdered material such as malted milk. It is the general object of the invention to provide a new and improved device of this character which is efficient in operation and adapted to deliver uniform quantities of malted milk.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a dispenser embodying means for stirring the malted milk so as to -keep it from forming lumps, together with means for jarring the parts delivering a measured quantity of powder to the discharge opening so as to insure the complete discharge oi the quantity.

A further object is to provide a dispenser embodying a discharge opening, a manually operable closure therefor, and means for delivering a measured quantity of powder to the discharge opening as the closure is withdrawn, in which the closure is arranged to be opened in advance of the delivering means so as to discharge the powder through the opening without having it fall on the closure plate.

Another object is to provide improved means for varying the quantity of the powder delivered.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a malted milk dispenser embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan View of parts shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a detail section taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an inverted, horizontal section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2 and illustrating the parts in their normal positions with the discharge opening closed. Fig. 6 is a section similar to Fig. 5, illustrating the parts with the discharge opening open.

Fig. 7 is a plan showing the plate for reducing the charge in operative position.

Figs. 8 and 9 are details of said plate.

Referring to the drawings, the invention is shown as embodied in a malted milk dispenser comprising an upright cylindrical container Amounted on a pedestal 11 and comprising a bottom 12, a cylindrical body 10 seated in an annular flange 12a on the bottom and a cover 10a. The bottom 12 of the container is provided with a discharge opening 13 positioned eccentrically .thereof and adjacent the flange 12a, through which measured quantities of powder may be Ydischarged. Preferably a ledge or seat 14 extends around the opening 13. A closure plate 15 carried on one end of a pivotally mounted lever 16 is arranged normally to seat against this ledge and close the opening. The lever 16 is pivotally mounted on the bottom of the container by means of a pin 17 and has a somewhat spade shaped end portion 18 to which the closure plate 15 is detachably secured, As illustrated herein the plate 15 has a strap or stirrup 19 secured thereto and providing a recess into which the end 18 of the lever i6 extends, A swinging latch member 20 is pivoted on the lever between lugs 21 and carries a thumb screw device 22 which is adapted to be 70' against ledge 14 while the closure plate is in closed 75* position, to insure proper seating of theV closure plate l5 against the ledge 14.

A measuring wheel 25 is positioned in the bottom of the container and is secured to the upper end of an operating shaft 26 which extends through the bottom of the container. This wheel comprises a cylindrical hub 27 and a plurality of radially extending rigid spokes or blades 28 which project substantially to theside Wall of the container and form a series of measuring pockets, each pocket being substantially equal in size to the discharge opening 13. A shield or strike-off plate 29 is provided above the opening 13 'and is arranged to iill the pockets level full by cutting ofi the column of powder extending above said receiving end ofthe particular pocket that is placed in register with the discharge opening, and is limited in size to permit communication between the remaining pockets and the interior of the container in order that they may be filled. During rotation of the measuring wheel the plate 29 agitates the contents of the container and supplements the action of agitator arms 32 which are preferably secured to the upper end of the shaft 26 to rotate therewith.

The measuring wheel 25 is arranged to be rotated or indexed step-by-step in a clockwise direction (Fig. 3) for the purpose of moving successive measured quantities of powder into register with the discharge opening13. As illustrated herein, the means for rotating the measuring wheel comprises a handle 35, pivotally mounted on the lower end of the operating shaft 26, and a pawl and ratchet mechanism intermediate said handle and the shaft 26. In the form illustrated in the drawings, a ratchet wheel 36 is secured to the lower end of the shaft 26 and is adapted to be actuated by means of a pawl 37 mounted on a pivot pin 38 secured to the handle 35. The handle is arranged to be moved from the position shown in Fig. 5 to that shown in Fig. 6, for the purpose of indexing the measuring wheel 25, and to facilitate the manual operationof the handle a thumb rest 39 isr preferably secured to the lower portion of the container. A stop 40 is provided to limit the movement of the handle 35 in one direction, a coiled spring 4l being arranged to return the handle to its normal position, as shown in Fig. 5. The pawl 37 is constantly urged into engagement with the ratchet wheel 36 by means of a coiled spring 42, and in order to prevent reverse rotation of the measuring wheel during the return movement of the handle 35, a second spring actuated pawl 43 may be mounted on the bottom of the container for engagement with the ratchet wheel 36, as illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6.

The closure plate 15 is preferably actuated automatically by means of the handle 35 and, in the preferred form of the invention illustrated herein, means is provided for moving the plate 15 away 'from the opening 13 prior to the discharge of powder therethrough. As shown in the drawings, the pivot pin 17 for the lever 16 is located eccentrically on the bottom of the container. so as to support the plate l5 on a longer radius than that of the blades 287 the lever 16 being provided with an arcuate slot 45 through which the operating shaft 26 extends. The end 46 of the lever 16 is provided with a cam slot 47 in which a follower pin 48 on the handle 35 engages. The cam slot 47 is so proportioned that when the handle 35 is in its normal position, as shown in Fig. 5, the pin 4'8- is at one end of the cam slot 47 and during the initial movement of the handle 35 in a counter-clockwise direction (Fig. '5) the pin 48 engages the inner portion 49 of the cam slot 47 and immediately swings the lever 16 to remove the closure plate 15 from beneath the opening 13. Although the measuring wheel is rotated uniformly by the handle 35, the lost motion connection between the handle 35 and the lever 16 is arranged to give the lever a quicker initial movement. As the handle 35 approaches the position shown in Fig. 6, the pin 48 slips by the portion 49 of the cam slot to the other end of the slot. During the return movement of the handle 35 for the purpose of closing the opening 13 and engaging the pawl 37 with the next tooth on the ratchet wheel 36, the pin 48 moves freely from the position shown in Fig. 6 to the other end of the cam slot 47 before the lever 16 is actuated. y

Thus it will be apparent that the plate 15 is moved 'from the position shown in Fig. 6 to the position shown in Fig'. 5 during approximately the last one-third of the stroke of the handle 35, and similarly the plate 15 is swung from the closed position shown in Fig. 5 to the open position shown in Fig. 6 during approximately the rst one-third of the stroke of the handle 35. This insures that the closure plate is withdrawn from the opening ahead of the advancing blade 28V and prevents any of the powder from falling onto the closure plate.

In order to make certain of the discharge of all of the powder from the pocket that is moved into registry with the opening 13, means is preferably provided for jarring the measuring wheel and preferably the portion thereof forming the pocket then in registry with the opening. As illustrated herein, this means comprises a pivoted weighted member 50 which is positioned in a recess formed by an upwardly extending portion 51 in the guard plate 29, and pivotally mounted by means of a pivot pin 52. The lower end of this weighted member is arranged to drag over the `blades 28 as the measuring wheel 25 is rotated,

and is preferably of suicient length so that the blades swing it a considerable distance in the direction of rotation of the wheel, as shown in Fig. 4, until it slips over the tops of the blades. A coiled spring 53 secured at one end to the weighted member and at its other end to the plate 29 then acts to swing the weighted member quickly in the opposite direction so as to strike the next blade, which is the advancing side of the iilled pocket, a violent blow and thereby cause all of the powder contained in said pocket to fall through the opening 13. The parts are preferably proportioned so that the weighted member strikes the blow when the lled pocket has moved substantially completely into register with the opening 13.

When it is desired to reduce the quantity in each charge of powder delivered by the measuring wheel, the capacity orf the compartments of measuring wheel is reduced by a plate which is placed on top of the measuring wheel. This plate has a central hole 6la to it around the washer 6l which is xed on the top of the measuring wheel, a iiat top wall 62 overlying the hub 27 of the measuring wheel and having its margin extending outwardly from the hub, and a depending fiange 63 which is slotted as at 64 to receive the partitions or blades 28 of the measuring wheel so the anged portions between the slots will close the inner portion of the measuring compartments to exclude the powder and correspondingly reduce the effective area of the compartments so the quantity of each charge of powderdelivered will be correspondingly reduced. Upon upward removal of the agitator 32 and shield 29 from shaft 26, the reducing plate 60 can be dropped into place on or removed from the measuring wheel. A cotter pin detachably holds the agitator 32 and the shield 29 on the shaft 26. In practice, a series of plates 60 of different diameters may be provided and these can be interchangeably used in the dispenser to provide compartments which will deliver the desired quantity of powder upon each operation of the delivery mechanism. This exemplifies simple means for varying the capacity of the compartments ofthe measuring wheel.

The invention is not to be understood as restricted to the details set forth, since these may be modiiied within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

y1. In a dispenser of the character described, the combination of a powder-retaining container having a discharge opening in the bottom thereof, a movable closure plate for said opening, means in the container for successively delivering measured quantities of powder to said l opening for discharge therethrough, a handle movably mounted on the bottom of the container,

and mechanism for shifting open the closure plate and actuating the delivery means at differential speeds in response to shift of the handle in one direction.

2. In a dispenser of the character described, the combination of a powder-retaining container having a discharge opening in the bottom thereof, a movable closure plate for said opening, a rotatable wheel in the container for successively delivering in response to rotation thereof measured quantities of powder through said opening, a handle mounted movably on the bottom of the container and operative in response to shift thereof in one direction to rotate the wheel for powder-delivering purposes, and means including a connection-between the handle and the closure plate whereby said plate is shifted into its open position in response to shift of the handle in said one direction at a faster rate of speed than that at which the wheel is rotated.

3. A dispenser of the character'described comprising, in combination, a powder-retaining container having a discharge opening in the bottom thereof, a closure plate for said opening, rotatable means in the container and adapted to discharge measured quantities of powder through said opening. and including a manual control handle pivotally mounted on the bottom of the container, and a lost motion connection between said handle and said closure plate whereby said closure plate is caused in response to swinging of the handle in one direction to be moved away from said opening ahead of the discharge of powder therethrough.

4. In a dispenser of the character described, the combination of a container having a discharge opening, a tainer forming a plurality of pockets arranged to be successively moved into register with'said opening, a pivotally mounted handle for indexing said wheel, a closure for said opening, a pivotally mounted lever on one end of which said closure is carried, and means for actuating said lever during the initial movement of said handle to index said wheel comprising a pin on said handle and a cam slot in the other end of said lever.

5. In a dispenser of the character described, the combination of a container having a discharge opening, a measuring wheel forming a plurality of pockets arranged to be successively moved into register with said opening, a pivotally mounted handle for rotating said wheel, a closure for said opening, aV pivotally mounted lever on one end of which said closure is carried, and means for actuating said lever during the initial movement of said handle to rotate said wheel comprising a pin on one of said parts and a curved cam slot in the other.

6. In a dispenser of the character described, the combination of a container having a discharge opening, a rotatable measuring wheel for delivering successive measured quantities of material to said opening, a closure for said opening, a pivotally mounted lever on one end of which said closure is carried, a single handle for rotating said wheel, and means for swinging said lever in order to open the closure comprising a pin and slot connection between the handle and the lever operative in response to shift of the handle in one direction to move said closure faster than said wheel in order to prevent material discharged through said opening from falling on said closure.

'7. In a dispenser of the character described,

measuring wheel in the con-V the combination of a container having a discharge' opening, a measuring device arranged to be 'moved step-by-step to deliver quantities of material to said opening, a pivotally mounted handle for moving said device step-by-step, a closure for said opening, a movably mounted member on which said closure is carried, and means connecting said member to said handle for actuating said closure by the handle comprising a pin on one of said parts and a cam slot in the other.

8. In a dispenser comprising a container having an opening in the bottom thereof, an arm pivotally mounted on the bottom of the containerand having a spade-shaped free end ex- 1 tending across said opening, a. closure plate forl said opening, ay strap secured to said plate for detachably Vconnecting said plate to said arm, an abutment for positioning said plate on said arm, and a pivoted latchdevice on said arm carrying a screw engageable with said abutment for clamping the plate to said arm.

9. ln a dispenser comprising a container having an opening in the bottom thereof, an arm pivotally mounted on the bottom of the container with its free end extending across said opening, a closure plate for said opening, a strap secured to said plate for detachably connecting said plate to said arm, an abutment on said plate, and a pivoted latch device on said arm engageable with said abutment for clamping the plate to said arm. Y

l0. In a dispenser comprising a container having a discharge opening therein, an arm pivotally mounted on the container, a closure plate for said opening, a strap secured to said plate for detachably connecting said plate to the free end of said arm, alug on said plate, and a pivoted latch device on said arm engageable with said lug for clamping the plate to said arm.

1l. A dispenser of the character described comprising in combination a cylindrical container having a discharge opening adjacent the periphery in the bottom thereof, a closure plate for said opening, a wheel rotatably mounted in the bottom of the container having a plurality of blades extending substantially to the side walls of the container and forming a plurality of pockets adapted to be moved successively into register with said opening, a shaft secured to said wheel and extending downwardly through the bottom of the container, a manually operable handle pivotally mounted on the lower end of said shaft, a pawl and ratchet device intermediate said handle and shaft so that upon repeated movements of said handle through a relatively short stroke said wheel will be rotated step-by-step, a lever pivotally mounted on the bottom of the container and carrying said closure plate on one end, means connecting said handle to said lever, and means for jarring said wheel to insure the discharge of the powder from the pocket immediately above said opening comprising a swingably mounted weighted device, a spring urging said device toward the blade advancing over said opening, said weighted` device being arranged to swing out of engagement with the preceding blade'as said wheel is rotated and to strike the advancing blade of a filled pocket as said filled pocket registers with said opening.

12. A dispenser comprising, in combination, a cylindrical container having a discharge opening adjacent the periphery in the bottom thereof, a closure plate for said opening, a wheel rotatably mounted in the bottom of the container having a plurality of blades extending substantiallytto the side wall of the container and forming a plurality of pockets adapted to be moved successively into register with said opening, means for rotating said wheel step-by-step, and means for jarring said wheel to insure the discharge of the powder from the pocket immediately above said opening comprising a movably mounted Weighted device, a spring urging said device toward the blade advancing over said opening, said weighted device being arranged to move out of engagement with the preceding blade as said wheel is rotated and to strike the advancing blade of a filled pocket as said iilled pocket registers with said opening.

13. A dispenser comprising in combination a container having a discharge opening adjacent the periphery in the bottom thereof, a wheel rotatably mounted in the bottom of the container provided with a plurality of measuring pockets adapted to be moved successively into register with said opening, means for rotating said wheel step-by-step, a cut-offv plate disposed over the Wheel and directly above the discharge opening and having a portion thereof shaped to form a downwardly opening recess and means for jar.- rin'g said wheel to insure the discharge of the powder from the pocket immediately above said opening comprising a movably mounted weighted device disposed in the aforesaid recess and ar ranged to strike said wheel as a filled pocket is moved into register with said opening.

14. A dspenser comprising in combination a container having a discharge opening adjacent the periphery in the bottom thereof, a wheel rotatably mounted in the bottom of the container having a plurality of radial blades extending substantially to the side wall of the container and forming a plurality of pockets adapted to be moved successively into register with said opening, means for rotating said Wheel step-bystep, a cut-off plate disposed over the wheel and directly above the discharge opening and having a portion thereof shaped to form a downwardly opening recess and a movably mounted, Weighted device disposed in the aforesaid pocket and operable to jar the advancing blade of a filled pocket of said wheel substantially as the filled pocket moves into register with said opening.

15. A dispenser comprising, in. combination, a container having a discharge opening, a closure plate for said opening, a rotatably mounted Wheel forming a plurality of pockets adapted to be moved successively into register with said opening, means for rotating said wheel step-by-step, a plate arranged to strike-oir the material above Said pockets so as lto fill the pockets level full as they approach said opening, said plate having a portion forming a recess, and means for insuring the complete discharge of material from the pocket in register with said opening comprising a weighted member swingably mounted on said plate in said recess and having its free end extending into engagement with said wheel, and resilient means for placing a tension on said weighted member to swing it in one direction, said member being arranged to strike the Wheel a jarring blow as a iilled pocket is moved into register with said opening. y

16. A dispenser comprising in combination a container having a discharge opening in the bottom thereof, a rotatable wheel disposed in the bottom of the container and having a plurality of radial blades extending substantially to the side Wall of the container and forming a plurality of pockets adapted to be moved successively into registry with said opening, means for rotating the wheel to discharge the material, and a plate removably held over the wheel and provided With a depending, peripheral flange extending across the inner portion of each of the compartments to reduce their capacity and having slots to receive the blades.

THOMAS JAMESON. 

